Mississippi River Northwoods

Mississippi River Northwoods
Beginning at Lake Itasca in northwestern Minnesota, the Mississippi River is one of the longest rivers
in North America, a major route for migratory waterfowl, and a significant source of drinking water for
many Minnesota residents. In Minnesota, the river meanders through a diversity of different forest
communities and by many growing towns and communities including Brainerd in Crow Wing County.
ACRES:
+/-2,000
OUTDOOR HERITAGE FUND
AWARD:
$11M for Land acquisition
$40,000 for initial site development
and restoration
LONG TERM STEWARD:
Crow Wing County
NATURAL RESOURCES:
2.5+ miles Mississippi
River frontage
Fisheries
Wetlands
Forests
Wild Rice
Trout Stream
Blanding’s Turtle (threatened)
Red shouldered hawk (concern)
Cuyuna-Paul Bunyan State Trail
connection
PROGRAMMATIC
SIGNIFICANCE:
Hunting
Fishing
Wildlife viewing
Snowmobile & trail use
Waterfowl migration habitat
Mississippi River Shoreland
Wild rice bay
Critical habitat corridor
Spawning area
Large-scale habitat complex
Prevents forest fragmentation
Complements existing public lands
Clean water
One of the most rapidly growing areas in Minnesota, Brainerd is also a popular
recreation spot for tourists and visitors from the Twin Cities, which are only two
and a half hours to the southeast, and elsewhere. Recreational opportunities
around the region include hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing,
hiking, biking, horseback riding, snow mobiling, canoeing, and camping.
As forested regions of Minnesota experience pressures from growth, efforts are
underway to protect forests and open spaces from fragmentation and
development in order to provide recreational, natural resource, and economic
benefits to the community. FY 2013 Outdoor Heritage Funds were
recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council and awarded by
the Legislature to protect nearly 2,000 acres through fee title purchase. This
project builds on a nearly ten-year collaborative effort among the State of
Minnesota, Potlatch Corporation, Crow Wing County, The Trust for Public Land,
state conservation groups, and local community supporters.
Located several miles northeast of the town, the +/- 2,000-acre property serves
as a significant addition to protected spaces around Brainerd. With 2.7 miles of
direct frontage on the southern bank of the Mississippi River, this project links
other adjacent public properties to create a 9 mile stretch of protected natural
river shoreline. It also provides connectivity within an area containing 6,200
contiguous acres of protected lands, including Crow Wing County Memorial
Forest, the Loerch State Wildlife Management Area, State of Minnesota School
Trust Lands, and Crow Wing County tax-forfeited lands that are managed for
timber.
A paper mill dam downstream has contributed to the formation of Stump Bay, a
lake-like basin along the property’s river front. This basin serves as critical
habitat, including spawning, brooding, and rearing areas for fisheries. Sand
Creek, which runs through the property for one mile, provides habitat for brook
trout, brown trout, and slimy sculpins. As 60% of migrating birds in North
America use the Mississippi River Flyway, the property provides crucial riparian habitat and approximately 240 acres of
wetlands for migrating and resident waterfowl. These wetlands also play a critical role in upholding the area’s water
quality. Blanding’s turtle, a state listed threatened species, have been documented on the property, and the area also
supports bald eagle and red-shouldered hawk, a state listed species of special concern.
Several sites on the property that have been noted for their cultural and archeological value are protected through this
project. As windows into prehistoric and pre-Columbian settlements, these sites may qualify for nomination to the National
Register of Historic Places.
By providing public access to the property for recreation and ensuring that sustainable forestry practices are employed,
the Mississippi River Northwoods project will benefit the Brainerd Lakes area economically. Visitors from Minnesota and
elsewhere come to the region throughout the year to experience the outdoors. By providing an alternative to development
and fragmentation of the forestlands, by protecting a popular snowmobile trail, and by ensuring that the public can hunt
and hike on these lands, this project will also protect the opportunities that draw tourists and residents here to begin with.
Crow Wing County’s sustainable timber management on the property will help ensure the long-term availability of timber,
which feeds the local economy through logging, transport, processing and product manufacturing and sale.
Lead partners: Anglers for Habitat; Crow Wing County; Cuyuna Lakes Trail Association; Delta Waterfowl (Brainerd
Chapter); The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; The Nature Conservancy; The Trust for Public Land
Supporters include: Anderson Bros Construction; Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce; Brainerd Lakes Regional
Airport Commission; Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation; Brainerd Nordic Ski Club; Brainerd Snodeos;
Christenson Agency; Crow Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance; Cycle Path and Paddle; Envision Minnesota;
International Mountain Bike Association; Minnesota B.A.S.S. Federation; All Chapters in Region 5 of the Minnesota Deer
Hunters Association (MDHA), including: The Brainerd Chapter, Cuyuna Range Whitetails Chapter, Lakes and Pines
Chapter (Longville), Morrison County Chapter, and Wahoo Valley Chapter (Staples); Mississippi Headwaters Board;
Mississippi River Parkway Commission of MN; Muskies Inc (Brainerd Lakes Chapter); Parks & Trails Council of
Minnesota; Rice Lake Association; Sportsmen for Change, and the Whitefish Resource Coalition
Area Legislative supporters, 2012 session:
Senator Paul Gazelka; Representative Larry Howes; Representative Mike LeMieur; and Representative John Ward.
N
Green’s Point
Key conservation roles:
The Trust for Public Land – secured
funding to purchase the property, led the
conservation land transaction
The Nature Conservancy – overall funding
and community support
Crow Wing County – long term property
stewardship and management
Contacts:
Susan Schmidt, The Trust for Public Land
651-999-5317
[email protected]
Chris Pence, Crow Wing County
[email protected]
Green’s Point is approximately 10 miles northeast of Brainerd.